1. Field of the Invention Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of telecommunications and, more particularly, to a system and method of enhancing reliability while providing communication services to multiple subscribers.
2. Description of Related Art
Communication technology has had steady progress in functionality and speed, especially since the advent of the global Internet. A typical architecture includes a so called central office that transfers data between multiple servers and multiple subscribers. Hardware failure in a central office, however, may interrupt service to one or more subscribers.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for enhancing reliability in a communication center, such as a central office.
To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, there is a method for a system including a plurality of encoders each for receiving a first signal and encoding to generate a respective second signal for sending to a respective subscriber. The method comprises receiving, in each encoder, the first signal from a first source, while testing a signal path between the second source and the encoders; and subsequently a second receiving step of receiving the first signal from a second source.
According to another aspect of the present invention a system for operating with a network, the system comprises a first assembly for receiving from the network to generate a first signal; a second assembly for receiving from the network to generate the first signal; a plurality of third assemblies; a first signal path, the first signal path being for sending from the third assemblies to the first assembly; a second signal path, the second signal path being for sending from the third assemblies to the second assembly, wherein each third assembly includes a multiplexor that generates a multiplexor output responsive either to the first signal from the first assembly or the first signal from the second assembly, an encoder that encodes the multiplexor output to generate a respective second signal for sending to a respective subscriber, a sender that sends on the second signal path, at a time when the multiplexor is responsive to the first signal from the first assembly, thereby testing the second signal path.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention a system comprises a plurality of encoders each for receiving a first signal and encoding to generate a respective second signal for sending to a respective subscriber; means for receiving, in each encoder, the first signal from a first source, while testing a signal path between the second source and the encoders; and means for receiving the first signal from a second source.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a method comprises receiving from a network port to generate a first signal and a second signal; sending the first signal to a first set of assemblies via a first signal path; sending the second signal to a second set of assemblies via a second signal pat; sending third signals from the first set of assemblies to the network port via a third signal path; and sending fourth signals from the second set of assemblies to the network port via the third signal path.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention a method comprises receiving from a network port to generate a first signal and a second signal; sending the first signal to a first set of assemblies via a first signal path; encoding, in one of the first set of assemblies, a portion of the first signal using a first protocol to send a first encoded signal to effect a first data rate for a first subscriber; sending the second signal to a second set on assemblies via a second signal path; and encoding, in one of the second set of assemblies, a portion of the second signal using a second protocol to send a second encoded signal to effect a second data rate for a second subscriber.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention a method comprises receiving from a network port on a first assembly to generate a first signal; sending the first signal to a set of second assemblies via a first signal path; sending second signals from the set of second assemblies to the first assembly via a second signal path; communicating between the first assembly and the second assemblies via third signal paths, each third signal path being electrically insulated from the other third signal paths; subsequently, receiving from a network port on a third assembly to generate the first signal; sending the first signal to the set of second assemblies via a fourth signal path; sending second signals from the set of second assemblies to the third assembly via a fifth signal path; communicating between the third assembly and the second assemblies via a sixth signal paths, each sixth signal path being electrically insulated from the other sixth signal paths.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a system comprises a housing with a plurality of signal busses; a plurality of assemblies, each assembly including a first connector with a plurality of conductors for sending signals between the assembly and the signal busses, an encoder that generates subscriber signals responsive to signals on the signal busses; and a plurality of second connectors, each located to receive subscriber signals from 2 adjacent assemblies.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a system comprises a housing with a plurality of slots and a plurality of signal busses; a plurality of first assemblies removably connected to slots in the housing; a second assembly, removably connected to a slot in the housing, the second assembly having circuitry for receiving signals from a network port, to send a signal on a selected one of a first plurality of signal paths, depending on an association between routing signals and first assemblies; a third assembly, removably connected to a slot in the housing, the third assembly having circuitry for receiving signals from a network port, to send a signal on a selected one of a second plurality of signal paths, depending on the association; and a fourth assembly, removably connected to a slot in the housing, having a memory for storing the association.